CHAPTER 1 : ELECTROSTATICS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this topic, student should be able to:

Qq kQq
1. State Coulomb’s law, F   2
4 o r 2
r
2. Sketch the electric force diagram and apply Coulomb’s law for a system of point charges.

F
3. Define and use electric field strength, E 
q0
kQ
4. Use E  for point charge.
r2
5. Sketch the electric field strength diagram and determine electric field strength E for a system
of charges.
W
6. Define electric potential, V  .
qo
7. Define and sketch equipotential lines and surfaces of
(i) an isolated charge
(ii) a uniform electric field

kQ
8. Use V  for a point charge and a system of charges.
r
W
9. Calculate potential difference between two points:∆ V = Vfinal – Vinitial ; V 
qo
10. Deduce the change in potential energy, ∆U between two points in electric field:
U  qV
11. Calculate potential energy of a system of point charges,

q q qq q q 
U  k  1 2  1 3  2 3 
 r12 r13 r23 

12. Explain quantitatively with the aid of a diagram the motion of a charge in a uniform electric

field.
V
E
d
13. Use for uniform E.
 TUTORIAL 1

1. An electric field at a point is defined as

A the total charge on a particle at that point
B the electric force per unit mass at that point
C the electric force per unit charge at that point
D the electric charge per unit mass of a point charge

2. The positions of two particles X and Y of charges –q and −2q respectively are fixed.
Which of the following figures CORRECTLY shows the direction and magnitude of
forces on the particles?
A B.

C D

3. At a distance R away from a point charge, the electric field has a strength of E and the
electric potential is V. At a point R/2 away from the same point charge which of the
following is TRUE?
Electric field strength Electric potential
A 4E 4V
B 2E 2V
C 2E 4V
D 4E 2V

4. A proton accelerates from rest in a uniform electric field of 640 N C–1. At some later
time, its speed is 1.20×106 m s–1.Calculate the acceleration of the proton.
A 61.32 Gm s–2 B 31.30 Gm s–2
C 20.42 Gm s–2 D 22.67 Gm s–2
5. Which of the following statements is TRUE about electrically equipotential surfaces?
A The charge density is uniform.
B The electric field at any point on the equipotential surface is zero.
C There is no electric potential difference between 2 nearby electrically
equipotential surfaces.
D No work is done to move a charge along an equipotential surface.

6. (a) State Coulomb’s Law.

(b) Two point charges, Q1= 85 C and Q2= 50 C are separated by a distance of
3.5 cm as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1

Determine the magnitude and direction of

(i) the electric force that Q1 exerts on Q2.
(ii) the electric force that Q2 exerts on Q1.
( Given Coulomb’s constant, k = 9.0  109 N m2 C2 )

7. (a) Three point charges, q1 = +3.0 μC, q2 = –4.0 μC and q3 = –7.0 μC are placed
20 cm and 15 cm apart on a straight line in air as shown in FIGURE 2.

q2 q1 q3

20 cm 15 cm

FIGURE 2

What is the magnitude and direction of the net electrostatic force acting on
charge q1.
(b) Three charges lie along the x axis. The positive charge Q1= 15μC is at
x=2.0m, and the positive charge Q2 = 6.0μC is at the origin. Where must a
negative charge Q3 be placed on the x axis so that the resultant force on it is
zero?
7. Two equal positive point charges q1 = q2 = 2.0 μC are located at x = 0, y = 0.3 m and
x = 0, y =–0.30 m respectively. What are the magnitude and direction of the total
electric force that these charges exert on a third point charge Q of 4.0 μC at
x = 0.40 m, y = 0?

8. (a) Define (i) electric field strength and (ii) electric potential at a point.
(b) When a test charge q = 2nC is placed at the origin, it experiences a force of
8.0  10–4 N. Calculate the magnitude of electric field strength at the origin.
(c) Refer to FIGURE 3 below, determine
(i) the magnitude and direction of electric field at point P.
(ii) the magnitude and direction of force acting on a charge q = – 4×10–8 C
placed at point P.

Q1= –20×10–8 C P Q2 = –5×10–8 C

5 cm 5 cm

FIGURE 3

9. (a) State the relationship between electric field strength and electrostatic force.
(b) Sketch the electric field pattern for the following case:
(i) Two charges of magnitudes q and –q placed near each other.
(ii) Two negative charges of magnitudes q and 2q placed near each other.
(iii) Uniformly charged parallel plates

10. (a)
Q1 Q2

16 cm

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4 shows two point charges of equal magnitude but opposite signs
are separated by 16 cm. The electric field at midpoint P is 845 N C–1.
(i) Sketch and label the direction of the electric field strength by each
charge at point P.
(ii) Calculate the magnitude of the charge.
 (b) Two charges q1 = 400 pC and q2 = −500 pC are placed 10.0 cm apart in
vacuum.
(i) Calculate the resultant electric field strength at the midpoint between
the two charges.
(ii) What is the electric potential at the midpoint between q1 and q2.

11. (a) Explain why

(i) electric field strength is a vector quantity which has magnitude and
direction.
(ii) electric potential is a scalar which has only magnitude.
(b) Two parallel metal plates separated by a distance of 1.5 mm are charged until
the potential difference between the plates is 6 V. What is the electric field
strength between the plates?
(c) FIGURE 5 shows the position of two points S and T relative to a –5.4 nC
point charge. Calculate the

S T
8 cm

6 cm

–5.4 nC

FIGURE 5

(i) potential difference between points S and T.

(ii) work done to bring a 1.5 nC test charge from point T to S.
12. (a) Sketch equipotential lines of
(i) a positive charge
(ii) a uniform electric field

(b)

q3

18 cm

q1 q2

10 cm 28 cm

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 6 shows three point charges, q1 = –2 μC, q2 = –4 μC and q3 = 6μC,

placed at 10 cm, 28 cm and 18 cm from a point P respectively.

(i) Sketch the direction of electric field strength at point P due to the two
point charges.
(ii) Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field strength at
point P.
(iii) Calculate the electric potential at point P.
(iv) Calculate the electric potential energy of the system of charges.

13. A speck of dust has a mass of 1.0×10–18 kg and carries a charge equal to that of one
electron. Near to the Earth’s surface it experiences a uniform downward electric field
of strength 100 N C–1 and a uniform gravitational field strength of 9.8 N kg–1.
(a) Draw a free body diagram for the speck of dust. Label the forces clearly.
(b) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force on the speck of
dust.
(c) Determine the acceleration of the speck of dust.
14.
+200 V

e v 15 mm

80 mm
–200 V

FIGURE 7

Two parallel plates are set a distance of 15 mm apart in a vacuum as illustrated in

FIGURE 7. The top plate is at potential of +200 V and the bottom plate is at
potential –200 V. An electron traveling at a speed 1.5×107 ms–1 enters the space
between the plates.
(a) Copy the diagram above and sketch the electric field lines pattern between
the plates.
(b) Sketch the force(s) acting on the electron and the possible path of motion as it
passes between the plates.
(c) Determine the magnitude of the acceleration of the electron.
(d) Calculate the velocity of the electron when it emerges from the space between
the plates.

15. FIGURE 8 shows an electron traveling with an initial velocity v = 8.0×105 m s–1
enters a uniform electric field E = 4.0×103 N C–1 such that the direction of v is in the
same direction as the electric field.

N C–1

FIGURE 8
(a) Copy the diagram above, sketch the direction of the acceleration and electric
force acting on the electron.
(b) Calculate the acceleration of the electron.
(c) Determine the distance traveled by the electron before it comes to rest.
(d) Find the time elapsed before the electron comes to rest.
SUGGESTED ANSWER

6. (b) 5.7 N to the right

(c) 0.77 m from Q2 @ 1.22 m from Q1
7. 0.46 N to the right
8. (b) 4×105 N C–1
(c) (i) –5.4×105 N C–1 towards q1 ;
(ii) 0.0216 N towards q2
10. (a) (i) 3×10–10 C
(b) (i) 3.24×103 N C−1
(ii) −18 V
11. (b) 4×10 V m−1
3

(c) (i) 324 V

(ii) 4.86×10–7 J
12. (b) (ii) 2.14×106 N C–1 at 51.2º below –x
(ii) –8570 V
(iii) –0.9838 J
–18
13. (b) 6.2×10 N;
(c) 6.2 m s–2
14. (c) 4.689×1015 m s−2
(d) 29.12×106 ms−1 at 59º above horizontal lines
15. (b) 7.03×1014 m s–2
(c) 4.57×10–4 m
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

1. (a) FIGURE 1 shows three point charges that lie in the x-y plane in a vacuum.

FIGURE 1

Calculate the magnitude and direction of the nett electrostatic force on Q2.
(b) A point charge Q = 0.35 nC is fixed at the origin. Where a proton must be
placed in order for the electric force acting on it to be exactly opposite to its
weight?
( Given charge of proton, Qp= 1.60  1019 C and mass of the proton,
mp = 1.67  1027 kg )
[ ANS, : 15 N; 20.1° ; 5.55 km below Q ]

2. Two point charges, Q1= +q and Q2= +2q are separated by 1.0 m as shown in
FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2

Determine the position of a point where

(a) the nett electric field intensity is zero,
(b) the electric potential due to the two charges is zero.
[ ANS. : 0.41 m ]
3. (a) Sketch equipotential lines and surfaces of
(i) a positive charge
(ii) a uniform electric field
(b) Two point charges, Q1= +2.0 C and Q2= 6.0 C, are placed 4.0 m and
5.0 m from a point P respectively as shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3

(i) Calculate the electric potential at P due to the charges.

(ii) If a charge Q3 = +3.0 C moves from infinity to P, determine the
change in electric potential energy for this charge.
(iii) When the charge Q3 at point P, calculate the electric potential energy
for the system of charges.
[ ANS. : -6300 V; -1.89  10-2 J; -5.49  10-2 J ]

4.


u

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4 shows an electron entering charged parallel plates with a speed of

5.45  106 m s1. The electric field produces by the parallel plates has deflected the
electron downward by a distance of 0.618 cm at the point where the electron exits.
Determine
(a) the magnitude of the electric field,
(b) the speed of the electron when it exits the parallel plates.
[ ANS. : 4126 V; 6.22  106 ms-1 ]
5. (a) Two point charges of 4 µC and 16 µC are separated by a distance of 10 mm.
A point P is at a distance of 8 mm from the 4 µC charge and 6 mm from the
16 µC charge.
(i) Calculate the electric potential at P.
(ii) What is the electric potential energy of a charge of 10 µC at P?

(b)
V ( Volt ) 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

x (mm) O 20 40 60 80 100 120

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 5 shows the equipotential surface at various distance x from point O

at positive plate to 120 mm at negative plate.
(i) State the direction of electric field.
(ii) Calculate the work done on the proton moving in the direction of
electric field across that 120 mm distance.

[ ANS: 2.85×107 V ; 285 J; 9.6×10 -17J ]